第一小说网

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第43部分（第2页）

〃If　you　can　show　us　how　to　overe　them；　I　will　spare　your　life；〃　said　Lu　Bu。

〃General；　if　you　will　listen　to　poor　me；　the　region　will　be　perfectly　safe。〃

〃Let　us　hear　what　you　have　to　say。〃

〃Yuan　Shus　troops　are　numerous　but　they　are　only　a　flock　of　crows；　they　are　not　an　army　under　a　leader。　There　is　no　mutual　confidence。　I　can　keep　them　at　bay　with　the　ordinary　guards　of　the　place　and　could　overe　them　by　some　unsuspected　stratagem。　If　I　should　fail；　I　have　another　plan　by　which　I　can　not　only　protect　the　region　but　capture　our　enemy。〃

〃Let　us　have　it。〃

＇e＇　Han　Xian　used　to　be　a　White　Wave　rebel　leader。　Yang　Feng　had　been　a　mander　under　Li　Jue。　When　the　Emperor　fled　from　Changan　to　Luoyang；　he　enlisted　these　two　leaders　as　escorts　to　fend　off　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Sis　pursuit。　（chapter　13）

Chen　Deng　said；　〃Han　Xian　and　Yang　Feng*；　two　of　the　leaders　of　our　enemies；　are　old　servants　of　the　Han　Dynasty　who　fled　from　fear　of　Cao　Cao　and；　being　homeless；　sought　refuge　with　Yuan　Shu。　He　despises　them；　and　they　are　dissatisfied　with　his　service。　A　little　letter　from　the　court　will　secure　their　help　as　our　allies；　and　with　Liu　Bei　to　help　us　on　the　outside；　we　can　certainly　overe　Yuan　Shu。〃

〃You　shall　take　the　letters　yourself；〃　said　Lu　Bu。

Chen　Deng　agreed；　and　a　memorial　detailing　his　intentions　was　sent　to　the　capital；　letters　to　Yuzhou　to　Liu　Bei；　and　finally　Chen　Deng　was　sent；　with　a　small　escort；　to　wait　for　Han　Xian　on　the　road　to　Xiapi。

When　Han　Xians　army　had　halted　and　pitched　camp；　Chen　Deng　went　to　see　Han　Xian　who　said；　〃What　are　you　here　for？　You　belong　to　Lu　Bu。〃

〃I　am　an　official　of　the　court　of　the　great　Hans。　Why　do　you　call　me　a　Lu　Bus　man？　If　you；　General；　hitherto　a　minister　of　state；　now　serve　a　traitor；　you　will　nullify　the　grand　services　you　rendered　in　protecting　the　Emperor　in　the　flight　from　Changan。　Beside；　the　suspicious　Yuan　Shu　will　assuredly　do　you　some　harm；　and　you　will　regret　not　having　taken　this　opportunity　to　work　against　him。〃

Han　Xian　sighed；　saying；　〃I　would　return　to　my　allegiance　if　there　should　be　any　opportunity。〃

Thereupon　Chen　Deng　gave　him　Lu　Bus　letter　asking　for　cooperation。

Han　Xian　read　it　and　said；　〃Yes；　I　know。　You　may　return　to　your　master　and　say　General　Yang　Feng　and　I　will　turn　our　weapons　and　smite　Yuan　Shu。　Look　out　for　a　signal　flare；　and　let　your　master　e　to　our　aid。〃

As　soon　as　Chen　Deng　had　got　back　and　reported　his　success；　Lu　Bu　divided　his　troops　into　five　divisions；　each　of　ten　thousand；　and　sent　them　to　five　threatened　towns　to　meet　his　enemies。　Gao　Shun　led　one　army　to　Xiaopei　against　Qiao　Rui；　Chen　Gong　to　Yidu　against　Chen　Ji；　Zhang　Liao　and　Zang　Ba　to　Langye　against　Lei　Bo；　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu　to　Jieshi　against　Chen　Lan。　Lu　Bu　himself　led　against　the　main　body　under　Zhang　Xun；　leaving　a　small　guard　in　Xuzhou　City。

Lu　Bu　camped　ten　miles　from　the　walls。　When　the　enemy　came　up；　Zhang　Xun　thought　Lu　Bu　too　strong　to　attack　with　the　force　he　had；　so　he　retired　seven　miles　to　await　reinforcements。

That　night；　in　the　second　watch；　Han　Xian　and　Yang　Feng　arrived；　and　soon　the　flare　was　lighted　as　arranged。　Lu　Bus　troops　were　admitted　to　the　camp　and　caused　great　confusion。　Then　Lu　Bu　gave　a　full　attack；　and　Zhang　Xun　was　routed　and　fled。　Lu　Bu　pursued　till　daylight；　when　he　fell　in　with　one　of　the　other　bodies　led　by　Ji　Ling。　Both　sides　faced　each　other；　but　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　engagement　Yang　Feng　and　Han　Xian　also　attacked；　and　Ji　Ling　was　forced　to　fly。

Lu　Bu　went　in　pursuit　but　soon　another　force　came　out　from　the　rear　of　some　hills。　These　looked　very　imposing。　As　the　ranks　opened　Lu　Bu　saw　a　leaders　guard　with　flags　bearing　dragons　and　phoenixes　and　representations　of　the　sun　and　moon；　the　stars　in　the　four　groups　of　the　Great　Bear　Constellation；　the　five　directions　of　the　Earth；　golden　gourds；　silver　axes；　yellow　halberds；　white　yaks　tails；　all　imperial　emblems。　And　beneath　a　yellow　silken　parasol　sat　Yuan　Shu　on　horseback；　clad　in　silver　mail　with　a　sword　handle　showing　at　each　wrist。

Standing　out　in　front　of　the　array；　Yuan　Shu　railed　at　his　opponent　calling　him　traitor　and　bastard。　Lu　Bu　said　nothing　but　rode　forward　ready　for　battle；　and　Li　Deng；　one　of　Yuan　Shus　leaders；　advanced　to　take　the　challenge。　They　met；　but　at　the　third　bout；　Li　Deng　was　wounded　in　the　hand；　whereupon　his　spear　fell　to　the　ground；　and　he　fled。　Lu　Bu　waved　on　the　advance；　and　his　men　prevailed。　The　other　side　fled；　leaving　much　spoil；　clothing；　mail；　and　horses。

Yuan　Shus　defeated　troops　had　not　gone　far　when　a　strong　army；　led　by　Guan　Yu；　appeared　barring　his　way。

〃Traitor！　Why　have　they　not　slain　you？〃　cried　Guan　Yu。

Whereat　Yuan　Shu　fled　in　great　trepidation；　and　his　army　melted　into　fugitives　in　all　directions。　The　new　army　fell　upon　them　with　great　slaughter。　Yuan　Shu　and　the　remnant　of　his　army　retreated　into　the　below　regions　of　River　Huai。

Victory　being　now　secure；　Lu　Bu；　in　pany　with　Guan　Yu；　Yang　Feng；　and　Han　Xian　returned　to　Xuzhou；　where　there　were　banquets　and　feasting　and　rewards　for　the　soldiers　and　generals　of　five　divisions。　These　over；　Guan　Yu　took　his　leave　and　returned　to　Yuzhou；　while　Han　Xian　was　appointed　Governor　of　Yidu；　and　Yang　Feng　Governor　of　Langye。

There　had　been　a　question　of　keeping　these　two　in　Xuzhou　City；　but　Chen　Gui　opposed　it；　saying；　〃Let　them　hold　those　places　in　Huashang　Mountains；　which　will　be　all　yours　within　a　year。〃

So　Han　Xian　and　Yang　Feng　were　sent　to　these　two　cities　in　the　meantime　to　await　orders。

〃Why　not　retain　them　here？〃　asked　Chen　Deng　secretly　of　his　father。　〃They　would　be　a　basis　for　our　conspiracy　against　Lu　Bu。〃